The Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association’s open forum on Thursday, June 16, to discuss the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act will be expanded and relocated.
The event is still scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. but will move to Tycoons on the first floor of the clubhouse at Laurel Park to provide additional space and access to video screens for additional presenters and guests who wish to attend virtually.
The Maryland Jockey Club on June 9 asked horsemen to provide a list of all horses in their barn that have had any pin-firing or freeze-firing (for example, shins, splints, etc.) to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., including the location of the horses, on or before June 23, 2022.
Beginning July 1, 2022, when the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's Racetrack Safety Program begins in Maryland and other racing states, pin- and freeze-firing will be a prohibited practice. Horses that do not have a record of such treatments prior to that time may be prohibited from racing—either for a period of time or permanently.
Track veterinarians will be inspecting horses designated as having been pin-fired or freeze-fired before July 1, 2022, and will make a note of the treatment in the The Jockey Club InCompass system, which will be available to HISA.
The draft regulations for the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program that takes effect Jan. 1, 2023, have been submitted to the Federal Trade Commission. Links to the documents appear at the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association website under its HISA section.
The FTC will take comments on the proposed regulations. Comments can be submitted by email. HISA intends to present final rules to the FTC on July 1, 2022, after which there will be another public comment period.
The final regulations will be posted at tharacing.com.
Laurel Park will offer 16 stakes (nine on the grass) valued at $1.5 million during its summer meet, which runs from June 3 through Aug. 21. Racing will be held three days week on a Friday-through-Sunday schedule as well as Monday, July 4.
There will be six stakes for Maryland-bred and Maryland-sired horses: Two on June 19 and four on July 30. The purse for each is $75,000. Both of those programs will each have an open stakes with a purse of $100,000.
